Topic 8
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Useful Expressions
I’ve heard from my colleagues and friends that you offer above average instruction.
Above average(평균 이상의, 보통이 아닌): greater than the usual level or amount
☆ Our supervisor has an above average salary.
☆ Richard is a really good athlete. His capabilities are definitely above average.
☆ Plato believed that humor is a sign of above average intelligence.
I would really appreciate if you could accommodate some of the queries that I have in mind.
Accommodate (부응하다, 협조하다): to give what is needed to someone
☆ The new policies fail to accommodate the disabled.
☆ We will try to accommodate you with an earlier flight.
Other usage:
Accommodate([살거나 지낼] 공간을 제공하다, 수용하다): to provide a place or room for someone to stay in
☆ The hotel can accommodate 600 guests.
It would be of great help in my decision making to know if your institution is experienced and established enough in terms of giving such lessons.
In terms of something(…에 관하여): in relation to; with reference to
☆ Cheryl was speaking in terms of improving students' grades by teaching them how to study.
☆ This film offers nothing in terms of satisfactory entertainment.
Points of Discussion
1) You mentioned that you go to an English institute. Do you think you learn more English inside or outside the classroom? What do you do on your own to improve your English?
2) Some people get very embarrassed when they have to speak in a foreign language. Does this happen to you? What suggestions would you give to somebody who suffered from this problem?
3) Do you think that children should begin learning a foreign language as soon as they start school? Cite your reasons and examples to support your answer.
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Grammar Pointer
Embedded question is a question that appears in a declarative statement or in another question.
Here are examples of embedded questions from the sample answer:
☆ First, I want to know how long your school has been teaching TOEIC classes.
☆ I would like to know what the nationalities of your teachers are.
☆ I want to inquire as to how much fee you ask from your students and what the mode of payment.
Use of the Embedded Questions
Embedded questions can seem a bit more polite than direct questions. If you approach a stranger to ask about a train schedule, for example, the embedded question is less abrupt than the direct question.
☞ “Embedded question” 이란 what, how, if 등과 연결되는 “의문형 명사절”로 설명할 수 있으며 정중하고 예의를 갖춘 간접의문문 형식으로 사용되기도 합니다.
Direct Question and Response Embedded Question and Response A: What time is it?
B: Sorry, I don’t know the time. A: Do you know what time it is? (embedded question in a question)
B: Sorry. I don't know what time it is. (embedded question in a statement)
Structure
In interrogative questions such as:
☆ How long has your school been holding TOEIC classes?
we can see that the verb comes first before the subject. However, it is different in the case of embedded questions. Let’s examine this further.
Embedded questions in statements and questions follow the same pattern. This is true for both wh-questions and yes/no embedded questions. Let's look at the following:
☞ 동사의 목적어가 되는 의문형 명사절은 일반 의문문과 달리 의문사 뒤에 “주어+동사” 형태를 취합니다.
WH- Embedded Questions Main
Question/Statement Interrogative Subject Verb Object/Complement Do you know how long your school has been
teaching TOEIC classes?
I don’t know how long my school has been
teaching TOEIC classes.
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Other examples:
☆ Do you know what the housing market will be like next year?
☆ Do you remember when President Clinton got impeached?
☆ I'm not sure where they're from.
Yes/No Embedded Questions Main
Question/Statement Interrogative Subject Verb Object/Complement Do you know
if whether
your school has been
teaching TOEIC classes?
I don’t know my school has been
teaching TOEIC classes.
Other examples:
☆ Do you know if the class has started?
☆ Could you tell me if he will come?
☆ I don’t know whether he will come or not.
☆ I wonder whether to quit my job.
Notice the sentence structure following the interrogative (question word). Because embedded questions are noun clauses, they follow the structure of a statement and not a question. In other words, always use: subject + verb + object/complement.
INCORRECT: Do you know what time is it?
INCORRECT: I don’t know what time is it.
The following phrases are commonly used to introduce embedded questions:
Could you tell me . . . I wanted to know . . . I wonder . . . Do you know . . . Who knows . . . The question is . . .